Conveying apparatus



'No. 608,577. Patentd Aug. 9, I898.

J. T. COWLEY.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Oct. 5, 1896.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets$heat 1.

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No. 608,577. Patented Aug. 9, I898.

J. T. COWLEY.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Oct. 5, 1898.) (N0 Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

THE uomus PETERS ca, PHOYO-LlTNO" WASHINGTON. 04 c.

Patnted Aug. 9, I898. J. T. cowuay.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Applicatiox; filed on a, 1896.)

Y 5 Shets-Sheet 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS cu. PHoTo-uwu, WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 608,577, Patented Aug. 9, I898. J. T. COWLEY.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Appliation filed Oct. 5, I896.) I (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

X28 U z ms scams PETERS 00., PHOTO-LITMCL. WASNWGTON, u. c

No. 608,577. Patented Aug. 9,1898.

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. CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed on. a, 1896.)

(No ModeL) '5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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'1 UNi'TEn STATES i 'A'TE Error;

' AMsoN CONSOLIDATED .--NEW JERSEY:

CONVEYINGAPPARATUS.

STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEVJARK,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,577, dated August 9, 1898.

f Application filed October 5, 1896.: Serial No. 607,822. (No model.)

To coll whom, it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMES T. COWLEY, of Lowell, county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Conveying Appa ratus, of which the following'is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in conveying apparatus; and the object is to provide" means for conveying cash or parcelsfrom one point to another. My invention consists of certain novel fea tures hereinafterd escribed,'ai1d particularly pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodying my invention, 7

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View illustrating five stations on a continuous line of acouveying apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus, taken at the terminal of the line from which the carriers ares'ent and to which they return and showing the beginning and the ending of track f. Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of Fig. 2, showing the elevator and the carrier thereon. 'Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View taken on the linea e, Fig. 2. the intermediate stations on the line, showing the elevator in the lower position with the carrier removed. Fig, 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5 and showinga carrier on the elevator-track section in its lowest position.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 00 00, Fig. 5. Fig. 8' is an inverted plan view of the top plate supporting the stations. Fig. 9 is an enlargeddetail view of-the elevator and elevator-track section. Fig. 10 is a left-hand end view of the same. Fig. 11 is a part plan view ofthe elevator, showing the elevator-track in section. Fig. 12 is a detail plan view of the carrier-stopping mechanism on the elevator-track section. Fig. 13 is a right-hand end view of the same. Fig. 14 is a side view of the carrier with the basket omitted. Fig; 15 is aright-hand end View of the same. Fig. 16 is a plan view of the top of the carrier. Fig. 17 is a detail view of the carrier adjustable stop mechanism. Fig.- 18

"rods ct at their lower ends.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of is a rear view of the safety back-stop used on a track as the carrier approaches thestation, showing the back-stop in position to stop all the carriers. Fig; 19 is a rear view of the back-stop used at "the stations, showing the backstop imposition to anow'rree passage for all the carriers. Fig. 20 is a rear view of the back-sto p, showing the stop in position to engage with a carrier intended for the station at which the back-stop is located. Fig. 21 is a rear view of the elevator-track section used at the terminal of the line. Fig. 22 is a plan view, partly in section, of the elevatortrack section used at the intermediate stations along the line.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figs. 2,3, 4, and 8, a represents elevator-rods suspended from the ceiling or other suitable support by means of the top plate I). The lower ends of these rods are fastened together by a suitable cross-bar This cross-bar is provided with lugs a and set-screwsa to receive and hold brace These brace-rods a pass upwardly through the projecting arms a and into suitable supports on the top plate I), to which they are firmly secured. Secured to these elevator-rods a are suitable brackets E, to which the forward and return track f is secured, and upon the rods to the elevator K is mounted and. is adapted to slide freely up and down on the rods a and adapted to be raised and lowered by the rope c, to one end of which is fastened a handle 0 This rope passes from the handle upwardly over the pulley b and inwardly over the pulley I)? (see Fig. 8) and downwardly around a pulley K, mounted in the elevator K. 'The rope then passes upwardly and is secured to the pulley b at the terminal station, but at the intermediate stations the rope passes over this governor I) is connected with the elevator K by a cord cl, one end of which is secured to the elevator at n, Figs. 4, 6, and 9.

This

rope (1 passes upwardly over the pulley Z), around the governor Z), back over the pulley b, downwardly and around the pulley a, mounted in the cross-bar of, secured to the bottom of the elevator-rods (t. The rope (Z extends upwardly again and the opposite end is secured to one end of the spring 22 Figs, 0 and 9. The opposite end of this spring is secured to the lug n on the elevator-frame K. 3y this means the governor is revolved as the elevator is raised and lowered. The elevatorrods a are provided with cushion-springs n near their lower ends above the cross-bar a and upon said springs the elevator K rests when in its lowest position and by means of which the elevator is cushioned as it reaches its lowest position.

In Fig. 2 the outgoing track is shown at a higher elevation than the incoming track, and the carriers depart from the upper track to the various stations and are received on the lower track from said stations. Owing to the incline of said track from its starting to its ending at the terminal stat-ion the carriers move along the line by gravity. Where the lines pass the intermediate stations the tracks leading into and passing out from the intermediate stations will be substantially on a level, but with suflieient incline to allow the carriers to move by gravity over the line, as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the terminal station, (shown in Fig. 2,) supposing a carrier is located on the elevator K and is down at the bottom of the elevator-rods a and it is desired to forward the same over the line to one of the other stations the elevator K is raised by pulling on the handle c", attached to the cord c, until the elevator-track section b? is in alinement with the upper track 1; and the lug Z" on the elevator-track section (see Figs. t and 21) will catch over the end of the lever I, mounted on the bracket It, and retain the elevator in a raised. position until the carrier has passed off from the elevator-track section onto the track f. \Yhile the elevator on the elevator-track section and the elevator is in its lower position, the carrier is retained on the elevatontrack section by the safetyeatch K See Figs. 21. and The end of this cateh projects from the slot K? in the elevator-track section in position to be engaged by the carrier when the catch is in its outward position, and. this catch prevents the carrier from passing off from the elevatortraek section until the catch is withdrawn in the slot 1C.

\Vhen the ele 'ator K is raised to the upper track, as before described, the curved portion K of the catch it, pivoted to the elevatorframe at K engages with the projection li mounted on the bracket i as shown in Fig. 22, and as the elevator is raised the end of the catch K is gradually withdrawn in the slot K and out of contact with the carrier, so that the carrier is free to travel off from the elevator -tra -k sect ion onto the main traekfand travel by gravity over the line.

As the carrier m passes along the traekf after leavin the elevator-track section before described it will strike the end of the finger i pivoted at to the bracket Z", secured by screws 7 to the traekf. (See Fig. t.) To this finger i is secured a coiniecting-rod Z, and the opposite end of this coimecting-rod is secured at Z to the lever Z, pivoted at l to the bracket E.

\Vhen the carrier engages with the lever Z in its travel over the track f, the lever Z will be moved forward against the tension of the spring Z and, through the connection before described of the connecting-rod l. and lover I, the lever Z will be moved out of Con tact with the lug Z." upon the elevator-track section and the elevator-track section will be allowed to descend to aliuement with the lower track f and the carrier will pass onward by gravity over the linef toward the station to which it was sent.

The carrier m is provided with the usual wheels m and is also provided with lower wheels in" to retain the carrier on the track.

The basket is pivotally secured to the carrier at "In." by a plate m and a cap m, adapted to clamp the bails m of the carrier-receptacle m The carrier is provided with a plate or, and through the frame of the carrier in and also through the plate in. a shaft in, passes. 'lhisshaftisprovidedwitha knurled knobm. This knob ll/l is provided withan indicator in, as shown in liig. 1-1, and upon the body of the carrier-frame n1 is an index m. This index is ligured to correspond with the number of stations on the line. The opposite end of this shaft in. is reduced in size at on, and upon the extreme end is mounted the plate m provided with pins m andm (See Figs. 15 and 17.) Upon the reduced portion m. l of this shaft in is loosely mounted the washers m and spring 7/1". The pin on?" is adapted to enter into the holes of" in the plate m on the carrier HI. One of these holes in. is provided for each different graduation.

When it is desired to change the graduation of the carrier so that the carrier may no sent to any desired station on the line, the knob n13, mounted on the shaft in and provided with the indicator m, is pushed in against the tension of the spring in). This moves the plate m away from the plate m and carries with it the pin of" out of the holes in, in the plate on, and the knob on may then be rotated until the imlicatonm" will point to any figure on the index that maybe desired, and when the knob m is released the spring in will move the shaft in. back to its original position and the pin 7/1?" will enter another hole in in the plate m corresponding with the figure on the index, and the position of the pin in. will thus be changei'l to' correspond with the graduation on the index to which the indicator m has been moved.

ieferring now to the station to which the carrier has been forwarded over the track], as the carrier 7 ap n'oacln;-s a station should the elevator K not be in alinement with the track and in position to receive the carrier there is provided a back-stop to arrest the carrier and retain it until the elevator is raised into alinement with the track. This back-stop is shown in Figs. 4, 7, 18, 19, and 20 and is constructed as follows:

Pivoted at E in the lugs E on the bracket E is a bell-crank lever E, one end projecting outwardly to engage with the elevator-track section and the opposite end extending upwardly and having an eye E in which is mounted one end of the rod E The opposite end of this rod is secured to a lever E mounted in the lug E secured to the track f. This lever E has a rod E extending at right angles to the portion E around which is a coil-spring E Upon the end of the rod is mounted the slide E, which moves freely thereon and is held in an upright position and is guided by the U-shaped guide E which is firmly secured to the rod E by a suitable set-screw. Upon the extreme end of the rod E is a guide-block E, which is adapted to move freely in the slot E in the bracket E secured to the track f. Secured to the outer end of this bracket E at E is a spring E and the opposite end is secured at E to the lever E The object of this spring is to move the rod E carrying the slide E, in toward the track f.

When the slide E is in the position shown in Fig. 18, a carrier passing over the track f will be arrested by the pin m on the carrier striking the slide E and the spring E will yield and act. as a cushion to gradually check the speed of the carrier.

When the elevator-track section K is raised up to alinement with the tracks f, as in Fig. 19, the lug K on the end of. the elevator,- track section K will be pushed backward against the tension of the spring K (shown in Figs. 11, 21, and 22,) so that the lug K will pass over the end of the lever E, and when allowed to settle down to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 19, the slide E through the connections of the rod E lever E rod E and lever E, will be moved out of the path of the carrier to the position shown in Fig. 19 and the carrier will beallowed to pass onto the elevator-track section.

The elevator-track section is constructed as follows: Secured to the elevator K is a short section of track K provided with a groove in which the slide K freely moves. (See Figs. 9,10, 1], and 13.) Upon one end ,of this slide and upon the stud K is mounted the safetycatch K, provided with stop-pins K above and below. This catch is intended to prevent the rebounding of the carrier when arrested on the elevator. Passing through the slot K in the elevator-track section. is a lug K firmly secured to the slide K by the screws K Within this lug is mounted the lever K provided with the spring K and the pin K mounted in the upwardly-extending portion K Passing. through a hole K in the lug K is a rod K one end of which is se-. cured to the lug K onthe end of the slide Kiworking in the slot K and the other end moves freelyin the lug K firmly secured to the elevator-track section. Around this rod is a spring K adapted to be compressed as the slide carrying the lug K is moved downward by themomentum of the carrier. Upon one end of the elevator-track section is mounted a lug K carrying the dog K one end of which projects through a slot K in the elevator-track sect-ion and is adapted to be engaged by the beveled end K of the slide K and pushed back bythe same as the slide is moved backward. This dog is also provided with a finger K adapted to rest on the pin K on the bracket E and support the elevator-track section in alinement with the track f when the parts. are in position shown in Fig. 11. This dog is provided with a spring K one end of which is fastened to the dog at K and the other end is fastened at K to the catch K, before described.

By reference to Figs, 6 and '7 it will be no ticed that a hinged track-section g has been provided to drop down and fill the space caused by the elevator-track section lowering down with a carrier, and thus forms a continuous lineof track f, so that the carriers passing to stations beyond will not be delayed. This is constructed of a short section of track g, Figs. 6 and 7, which is provided with brackets g, pivoted at g to the bracket E. To this track-section is secured one end of the cord 0 at c, and when the elevator is raised by the operator pulling on the handle 0 attached to the cord 0, the track-section israised to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, and when the elevator is raised to alinement with the track f the curved guard S on the elevator K will engage with the track-section g and hold it in a raised position out of the path of a carrier passing along the track or onto the elevator.

Now when a carrier arrives at a station to which it was sent. and has passed onto the elevator the pin m" on thecarrierengages with the pin K on the elevator, as before described, and the carrier is arrested. The momentum of the carrier will move the slide to which the lug carrying the pin K is connected backward, carrying with it the rod K and the lug K off of the end of the lever E. The opposite end of the slide will move the end K of the dog K off of the pin K and the elevator will be free to descend, and as it drops the track-section Q will drop down and fill the space caused by the descending .elevator. This track-section is also adapted to rest on the lever E and operate the backstop, before referred to, to release any carrier that may have been arrested.

It will benoticed that any number of carriers can be sent to a single station. 7 Now should a carrier be on the elevator and the elevator be lowered the other carriers are free to pass along the line; but if another carrier should be sent to that station some means must be provided to arrest that particular carrier at the station until the elevator is raised to receive it. To accomplish this, I provide the slide E on the back-stop with the pin E (See Fig. 20.) Those pins are graduated the same as the pins K on the elevator-track section. Now when the trackscction 1 drops down to alinement with the track f the slide E is moved out only to the position shown in Fig. 20, and not out to the extreme distance, as shown in Fig. 19, when engaged by the elevator track section. This partial movement of the slide E leaves the pin E in position to engage with the pin on" on the carrier and arrest that particular carrier, but allows all others to pass freely along the track; but when the elevator-track section is raised the slide E is moved out fully, as shown in Fig. 19, and the carrier will pass onto the elevator, as be fore described. The pins K mounted in the upright portion K of the lever K secured to the slide K", are vertically arranged for each elevator-track section K to correspond with the positions of the pins 072, so that when the pin m" has, for instance, been set for station No. l the pin K on the elevatortrack section at station No. 1 will be in such position as to engage with the'pins m to stop the carrier; but the pins m" on the other carriers, set for other stations, will not be stopped by the pin K at station No.1. In other words, the pins K at each station are located to correspond with the adjustments of the pins m".

After the elevator is lowered within reach of the operator before it can be forwarded over the line again the carrier must be moved past the pin K In order to do this, the operator pulls down 011 the arm K of the lever K and the pin K is swung out of the path of the carrier, which then moves forward suff1- eiently so that the stop-pin on the carrier will be on the opposite side of the pin K \Vhen the operator releases the arm K the spring K will return the lever to its original position. On the arm K the rod K is mounted and projects downwardly within reach of the operator, thus providing a convenient means for operating the lever K.

I do not limit myself to the arrangement and construction shown, as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus ascertained the nature of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a conveying apparatus, a track, a carrier adapted to travel on said track, a series of elevators each having a track section adapted to be brought into alinement with said track, stopping mechanism located at relatively different points on the several clevator-track sections, and stopping mechanism on the carrier adapted to be adjusted to en gage with any one of said stopping mechanisms on the said elevator-track sections.

2. In a conveying apparatus, a track, a carrier adapted to travel on said track, a series of elevators each having a track-section adapted to be brought into alinement with said track, means for holding the clevator-track sect-ion in alinement with said track and adapted to be released by the carrier passing onto the elevator-track section, stopping mechanism located at relatively different points on the several elevator-track sections, and stoppin mechanism 011 each carrier adapted to be adjusted to engage with any one of said stopping mechanisms on said elevator-track sections.

3. In a conveying apparatus, a track having a removable-track section normally in line with said track, a carrier adapted to travel on said track, a series of elevators each having a track-section adapted to bebrought into alinement with said track, means for holding the elevator-track section in alinement with said track and adapted to be released by. the carrier passing onto the elevator-track section, stopping mechanism located at a different point on each elevatortraek section, stopping mechanism on each carrier adapted to be adjusted to engage with any of said stopping mechanisms on said clevator-track sections, and a graduated backstop adapted when said removable-track section is in alinement with said track to allow the passage of carriers belonging to stations beyond and to stop the carrier intended for the station at which said back-stop is located by engaging with said adjustable stopping mechanism on the carrier.

4. In a conveying apparatus, a track having a removable-track section normally in line with said track, a carrier adapted to travel on said track, a series of elevators each having a track-section adapted to be brought into alinement with said track, means for removing said removable-track section from alinement with said track to permit the alinement of said elevator-track section with said track, and a graduated back-stop adapted when said removable-track section is in alinement with said track to allow the passage of carriers belonging to stations beyond and to stop the carrier intended for the station at which said back-stop is located.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of. two subscribing witnesses, on this 18th day of July, 1896.

JAMES '1. COlVLEY.

W i tn csses E. L. FoX, A. L. Mnssnn. 

